Invercargill lawyer Lester Smith has a good chance of picking up a couple of categories at this season’s Southland Harness Awards.
American Ideal gelding Duke Of Wellington was the province's leading stake earner and his dam Galleons Cheer looks like a strong candidate for Broodmare of the Year.
Duke Of Wellington qualified at the end of October last year and in his first season of racing he started ten times and was in the money each time. He won five races, including his last four, ran second three times, and third and fourth once each. He ended his season with an impressive win in the $45,000 Group Two Alabar Southern Supremacy Stakes. His seasons earnings were $54,280.
His success is a credit to his trainer Lauren Pearson and his driver Brent Barclay who had him peaking at the right end of the season.
In the Supremacy he raced in Smith’s name along with the Butterworth Racing Syndicate which had bought into the horse at that point.
Merv and Meg Butterworth now own the horse outright and he’s currently spelling at Diane Cournane’s Grove Bush agistment farm.
Venice Beach (renamed My Venice Beach), which Smith sold in March last year has also had a successful season for her dam Galleons Cheer. The Somebeachsomewhere mare has won six races this season, $25,738 and lowered her winning mile time to 1-53.6.
Another of Galleon Cheers' foals; Rise Above This, won her first start at Winton pacing a mile in 1-58.5.
To cap off the season the mare's only other foal to race this season – Laszlo – (formally Dazed And Confused), also won once at Globe Derby Park.
The four horses are the mare’s first four foals of racing age. Her next foal also by Somebeachsomewhere, is a yearling.
The next best Southland trained stake earner was Somejoy. She won six races from ten starts and earned her connections $47,230.
Bruce Stewart
Southland Harness Racing